“Top Chef” Recaps: Episode 4.1 “Anything You Can Cook I Can Cook Better”

Welcome to AfterEllen.com’s Top Chef: Chicago recaps!
Did everyone remember to bring a fork? Better yet, did you bring your sharpened
knives?

In a first for the hit Bravo reality series, three lesbian
chefs (or, as Dara so cleverly coined,
chefbians) are competing for the coveted title: New Yorker Lisa Fernandes and
San Franciscans Jennifer Biesty and Zoi Antonitsas. Since whenever there are
three lesbians in a room, two of them are dating/have dated/are thinking about
dating, chefbians Jennifer and Zoi are also the show’s first couple.

But before I jump from the frying pan of introductions into
the fire of recapping, a little disclaimer from your humble maître d': I am no
chef, and I’m not even really a foodie. I do, however, love food and, for that
matter, lesbians. Please pardon me if I break a few eggs or burn the toast, so
to speak, along the way. With that, let’s dig in.

THIS WEEK’S KITCHEN ESSENTIALS:

Quickfire: Uh,
anyone have the number for Domino’s?
Elimination: Putting the ick in
classics.
Padmaism: "I found it incredibly salty."

Chicago
deep dish — Another season, another intro by the devilishly delectable
Padma Lakshmi. I don’t care how hard she is schilling for the Glad family of
products; I’ll buy anything she’s selling. Also, how hard is she rocking that
scar? Next, a montage of all 16 cheftestants. Oh, who are we kidding, here are
the three you care about:

In a gayer-than-gay-off, I think Jennifer wins for the tie
and the lady-hawk.